Liquid dispenser



0t.10,1967 P.A.ENBLOM 3,346,194 4 LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Oct. 6 1965 FIE 2 I N VEN TOR. P404 4. 413.. 0

United States Patent 3,346,194 LIQUID DISPENSER Paul A. Enblom, Eden Prairie, Minra, assignor to Judd Ringer Corporation, St. Louis Park, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Oct. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 493,518 8 Claims. (Cl. 239--333) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid dispenser in which there is a pump member secured to the lower end of a liquid reservoir and in which the pump member upon actuation thereof is eflective to discharge fluid through one or more angularly inclined openings and in which there is an adjustable cylindrical deflector adapted to be disposed in the path of the liquid issuing through the inclined openings to confine the path of the liquid to an extent dependent upon the adjustable position of the deflector in the path of the liquid. The liquid dispenser is particularly adapted for dispensing a liquid such as a weed killer over a limited area of the ground.

It has previously been proposed to provide a dispenser for the dispensing of liquid, such as weed exterminators, in which the liquid is contained in an elongated liquid reservoir to the bottom of which is secured a pump member in the form of a piston with a downwardly extending plunger. In use, when it is desired to dispense liquid upon a particular area, such as that on which a weed is growing, the assemblage is positioned with the plunger engaging the ground at the location of the weed, the main assembly is then pushed down to actuate the piston member and then quickly released. Upon release, the piston member is effective to eject fluid through one or more conically disposed openings. This type of device is very efiective where it is desired to dispense small amounts of a liquid on a selective basis. One of the known devices, however, does have the drawback that the openings, being conically disposed, send the liquid out at such an angle that the liquid may cover a fairly Wide area. Furthermore, in the center of the cone, relatively little liquid may be applied. Hence, where the device is used for killing weeds, for example, if there is a very small weed, very little or no liquid may be applied to the Weed to be killed and most of the liquid is spread over the surrounding area. In another of the prior devices, the openings are arranged in a substantially cylindrical path and this has the drawback that the coverage is relatively limited and where a large area is to be covered, it is necessary to make too many applications of the liquid.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid dispenser of the type having a discharge member secured to the lower end of a reservoir and a pump member effective upon actuation thereof to force liquid outwardly through an angularly directed opening in which there is means for varying the area over which the liquid is directed. Broadly, I accomplish this object by providing a deflector member which is disposed in the path of the liquid issuing from the opening and is adjustable as to the extent to which it is disposed in this path.

A further object of my invention is to provide in connection with such a device means for limiting the extent of the adjustment.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device which can be very economically made and very quickly assembled. This is accomplished by providing threaded engagement between the adjustable deflector member and the cooperating member upon which it is mounted, this threaded engagement being accomplished by the employment of at least one member which is yield- 3,346,194 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 able so that the two members can be initially snapped into threaded engagement with each other, the subsequent separation of the members by relative rotation being prevented by the stop means previously referred to.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the accompanying specification, claims and drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved liquid dispenser with an intermediate portion thereof broken away for compactness of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a view mostly in section of the lower portion of my liquid dispenser, the view being on a somewhat larger scale than FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the portion of the dispenser shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the upper portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3, the view being taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3 in the direction of the arrows adjacent that line;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the lower element shown in FIGURE 3, the view being taken along the line 5-5 in the direction of the arrows adjacent that line; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5 showing a modified form of the lower element of FIG- URE 3.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my device comprises an elongated tubular shell 10 open at its top and bottom ends and covered at its top end with a removable cap 11. The tube 10, as will be explained, is normally filled with liquid introduced through the top by removal of the cap 11 and is preferably transparent so that the liquid level within the tube can readily be observed. The tube 10 constitutes a liquid reservoir and has its lower end closed by a discharge member 12 which will be presently described. Disposed within the lower end of tube 10 is an inverted cuplike element 13 which serves as an upper seat for a coil compression spring 15. Member 13 is provided with a cylindrical neck portion 16 extending downwardly and provided with a relatively large axial passage 17 therethrough. The neck portion 16 serves to guide the upper end of spring 15 and retain it in position.

The lower end of spring 15 bears against a piston member 20. This piston member 20 is movable within a cylindrical portion 21 of discharge member 12, having an ex terior diameter somewhat less than the interior diameter of the cylindrical portion 21. Because of the difference in diameter between the piston 20 and that of the interior of cylinder 21, liquid can pass around the edge of piston 20 as it is moved upwardly, as will be explained in more detail. The discharge member 12 has an inwardly extending flange 22 which has a central aperture 24 therethrough surrounded by an upwardly extending ridge 23 which constitutes a valve seat for the piston 20. A gasket 34 of suitable resilient material such as rubber is interposed between the lower face of piston 20 and the ridge 23 to insure a liquid-tight seal therebetween when the piston 20 is in its lowermost position, as shown in FIGURE 2. Extending downwardly from the flange 22 is a second cylindrical portion 25 of somewhat smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion 21. A helical groove 28 is located in the external wall of the cylindrical portion 25 and constitutes a screw thread which may extend around the wall for somewhat more than one turn. Located within the interior of the cylindrical portion 25 are a plurality of slots 26 extending longitudinally, as best shown in FIGURE 3, these slots terminating at their lower end in a plurality of diagonally disposed terminal slots 27.

The slots 26 are all closed on their open side by a closure member 30 which also acts as a guide for a plunger 29 secured to the piston 20. The closure member 30 has an upper cylindrical portion 31 having an exterior diameter conforming to the interior diameter of the lower cylindrical portion 25 of discharge member 12. The member 30 also has a conical portion 32 which conforms to the conioal lower wall of member 25. Member 30 is also provided with a lower conical portion 33 which is shown as converging downwardly; =When the pluger member 30 is inserted into the lower end of the cylindrical portion 25 of discharge member 12, the conical surface 32 engages the inward conical lower edge of cylinder 25 and the cylindrical portion 3-1 of plug 30 engages the interior wall of the cylindrical portion 25, the cylindrical surface 31 and the conical surface 32 acting to close the otherwise open walls of slots 26 and 27 to provide a plurality of longitudinal passages 26 of rectangular cross section and diagonally disposed passages 27 likewise of rectangular cross section. The diagonally disposed passages 27 are disposed in a conical path.

The plunger 29 has a lower portion 36 of one diameter and an intermediate portion 39 of reduced diameter. The stop member 30 has an aperture therethrough with an interior diameter relatively closely conforming with the exterior diameter of the lower portion 36 of the plunger 31. The upper end of the plunger 31 is secured to the piston 20 in any suitable manner as by being knurled as shown at 40 and press fitted into the piston. It will be noted that the intermediate portion 39 has an exterior diameter substantially less than the diameter of opening 24 so that the liquid may pass freely around the reduced portion 39 of the plunger 31.

The lower portion of plunger 31 has secured thereto a foot member 38 which may be of such material as plastic and adapted to engage the ground or similar surface.

Referring briefly to the operation of the apparatus that is described so far, the piston 20 is normally biased downwardly as shown in FIGURE 2 so that the gasket 34 is in engagement with the ridge 23 which, as previously noted, constitutes a valve seat. The tube 10, the inverted cup-shaped member 13, and the upper portion of the discharge member 12 above the plunger 20 are filled with liquid which is prevented from escaping by the engagement of the gasket 34 with the annular ridge 23. When it is desired to release liquid, the user presses the foot member 38 against the ground by pressing on the closure cap 11. This causes plunger 29 to be forced upwardly against the biasing effect of spring 15 carrying with it the piston member 20. As the plunger 29 moves upwardly, the upper extremity of the lower portion 36 enters the aperture 24 which has approximately the same diameter as the external diameter of the lower portion 36 of plunger 29. This provides an additional bearing for plunger 29 at the time that the force applied to plunger 29 is at its maximum value due to the compression of spring 15. Because of the clearance between the outside of the piston member 20 and the interior of the cylindrical portion 21 of discharge member =12, liquid flows freely around the exterior of the piston permitting the piston to move freely upwardly. When the user releases the pressure against the cap 11, the spring 15 is effective to depress the piston 20 and a substantial amount of the liquid which has flowed around the edges of the piston 20 is now trapped and forced out downwardly through the passage 24, around the reduced portion 39' of plunger 31, into the slots 26, and out through the conically disposed slots 27. It is desirable that the user quickly release the pressure on the cap 11 to prevent the fluid from returning to any substantial extent around the edge of the piston 20 and to provide a forceful ejection'of the liquid.

It will be noted that the piston 20 acts as a pump to apply pressure to the liquid being forced outwardly through the passages 27. This pumping pressure applied by the action of spring 15 on piston 20 causes the stream to issue with suflicient force that it tends to extend over a substantial area.

As previously pointed out, one of the significant features of my present construction is the provision of means for adjusting the extent to which the liquid issuing through passages 27 is allowed to spread outwardly. Secured to the discharge member 12 and coacting therewith is a deflector member This deflector member 45 comprises an outer cylindrical portion 46 and an inner cylindrical portion 47 with a connecting flange portion 48. The outer cylindrical portion 46 has an interior diameter approximately equal to the external diameter of a shoulder portion 50 of discharge member 12, this shoulder portion 50 being of slightly reduced diameter with respect to the cylindrical portion 21. In the form shown in FIG- URES 2, 3 and 5, the inner cylindrical portion 47 is slotted for a portion of its depth at two diametrically opposite points, these slots being indicated by the reference numerals 52 and 53. The depths of these slots are indicated in FIGURE 2 and it will be noted that they extend substantially all the way to flange portion 48 so as to provide two arcuate portions bounded by the slots 52 and 53. The deflector member 45 is preferably formed of yieldable material which may be a suitable plastic. Because of the slots 52 and 53, the two portions of the inner cylindrical portion 47 are laterally yieldable. These two portions carry helical ridges 55 and 56 which coact with the helical groove 28 to provide a screw-threaded connection between the deflector member 45 and the discharge member 12. Because of the yieldability of the two portions of the inner wall 47 carrying the screw ridges 55 and 56 and because of the diagonal disposition of the upper faces of the ridges 55 and 56, it is possible when initially assembling the device to force member 45 upwardly in an axial direction and cause the ridges 55 and 56 to enter into the helical groove 28, this being possible because of the portions 47 flexing backwardly sufficiently to enable the upper diagonally disposed surfaces of ridges 55 and 56 to ride over the outer wall of cylindrical portion 25 until they enter the groove 26. Because the lower surfaces of the ridges 55 and 56 and the corresponding surface of the helical groove 28 extend perpendicular to the axis of members 12 and 45, it is very diflicult to disengage deflector member 45 from discharge member 12 by pulling down on deflector member 45, after these members have been threadedly engaged. One of the reasons for the desirability of this method of assembly is the provision of stop means to be presently described. As best shown in the upper portion of FIGURE 3, a stop member 60 having oppositely disposed flat sides, projects downwardly from the flange portion 22. This stop member is preferably formed as an integral element of the discharge member 12 and preferably has a curved lower end. Designed to cooperate with the stop member 60 is an inwardly extending lug 62 preferably formed as an integral element of deflector member 45 and extending inwardly from the interior of the outer cylindrical portion 46-. This stop member 62 is best shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. It will be readily apparent that as the deflector member 45 is rotated with respect to the discharge member 12, the inwardly extending lug 62 will engage one of the flat sides of the stop member 60 regardless of which direction the relative rotation takes place. Because of the disposition of these members and their circumferential extent, the cap 45 can be rotated with respect to discharge member 12 through an angle somewhat less than 360 degrees, the angle being 330 degrees, for example. Hence, this stop means prevents deflector member 45 from being removed from discharge member 12 by unscrewing deflector member 45.

In order to indicate the relative position of deflector member 45 With respect to discharge member 12, I have provided an arrow 65 which may project outwardly from the surface of the cylindrical portion 21 of dispensing member 12. The arrow is preferably molded with the dispensing member 12. In addition, the legends Large and Small may be applied on each side of the arrow 65. Cooperating with the arrow 65 is an ear 68 which extends upwardly from the outer cylindrical portion 46 of the deflecting member 45. The ear 68 is so disposed with respect to arrow 65 and with respect to the relative positions of lug 62 and stop pin 60 that when the deflector is in its uppermost position, the ear 68 will be close to the legend Large. Under these conditions, the lug 62 will be in engagement with the pin 60 on one side thereof. As the deflector member 45 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, the ear 68 moves away from the arrow 65 toward the legend Small. When the deflector member 45 has been rotated in a counterclockwise direction to its opposite extreme position, the lug 62 will engage the opposite side of pin 60 and the car 68 will be adjacent the legend Small. The operator can thus determine at all times from the position of car 68 with respect to arrow 65 the extent to which the inner wall 47 has been lowered with respect to the conical slots 27 and hence the extent to which the liquid issuing through these slots has been confined.

It is desirable that there be suflicient friction between the cooperating portions of the inner cylinder 47 and the downwardly extending slotted cylindrical portion 25 that the deflector member 45 will be maintained in any position in which it has been moved by rotation thereof. This is accomplished by making the inner diameter of the inner cylinder 47 substantially the same as the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 25. Because of the friction between these two members, the extent of the spray will remain relatively constant and will be varied only by deliberate adjustment of the deflector member 45.

It is desirable but not necessary that the various members 10, 11, 12, 30 and 45 all be formed of plastic material. This enables the construction to be relatively lightweight and for the various elements thereof to be assembled in position and secured in their relative positions by a suitable adhesive material. The use of suitable plastics furthermore eliminates the possibility of corrosion of the parts taking place by reason of the liquid employed.

In FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, I have shown the provision of slots 52 and 53 extending completely through the cylinder 47. Where the material is sufficiently flexible, it may be preferable, instead of having the slots extend completely through, to merely provide grooves 72 and 73 which merely decrease the thickness of the wall adjacent these grooves. It has been found that with sufliciently flexible material, the provision of grooves 72 and 73 results in sufiicient yieldability of the member 47 to permit the members 12 and 45 to be forced into engagement with each other. At the same time, the fact that the material is not completely severed prevents accidental spreading of the two portions of cylinder 47 to cause accidental detachment of the deflector member 45 from the discharge member 12.

While I have shown specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that this is for purposes of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A liquid dispenser comprising:

a liquid reservoir,

a discharge member secured to one end of said reservoir and having angularly directed discharge passage means diverging outwardly away from said reservoir,

a pump member also secured to said one end of said reservoir between said reservoir and said discharge member and effective upon actuation of said pump member to force liquid from said reservoir outwardly through said passage means so as to tend to produce a conical spray,

an actuator secured to said pump member and projecting beyond said discharge member and adapted to be engaged to actuate said pump member when it is desired to force liquid through said passage means,

and a cylindrical deflector member threadedly secured to said discharge member and having a cylindrical portion adapted to be disposed in the path of the conical spray issuing from said passage means to confine said spray,

said deflector member and said discharge member having coacting threaded portions one of which is yieldable to enable said deflector member to be forced onto said discharge member to cause said threaded portions to threadedly engage with each other to enable said deflector member to be adjustable as to the extent to which it is disposed in the path of the liquid, and said deflector member and said discharge member carrying stop members adapted to abut to limit the relative rotative movement of said deflector and discharge members when said latter members are threadedly secured together.

2. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 in which the yieldable threaded portion is in the form of an arcuate part of said deflecting member projecting upwardly from said deflecting portion.

3. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 in which the deflector member comprises two concentric portions, the inner of which includes said deflecting portion and a plurality of arcuate yieldable threaded parts projecting upwardly from said deflecting portion and coacting with the threaded portion on said discharge member, the outer of which constitutes a grip for rotating said deflecting member with respect to said discharge member.

4. The liquid dispenser of claim 1 in which the yieldable threaded portion is in the form of an annular member having areas of reduced thickness to increase the yieldability of said portion.

5. A liquid dispenser for dispensing a liquid over a limited area of a surface, said dispenser comprising:

a liquid reservoir adapted to be supported in the hand,

a discharge member secured to the lower end of said reservoir and having angularly directed discharge passage means diverging outwardly away from said reservoir,

a pump member also secured to said reservoir and elfective upon actuation of said pump member to force liquid from said reservoir outwardly through said passage means so as to tend to produce a conical p y.

and a cylindrical deflector member threadedly secured to said discharge member and having a cylindrical portion adapted to be disposed in the path of the conical spray issuing from said passage means to confine said spray and hence to concentrate said spray to a smaller area of the surface,

said deflector member and said discharge member having coacting threaded portions one of which is yieldable to enable said deflector member to be forced onto said discharge member to cause said threaded portions to threadedly engage with each other to enable said deflector member to be adjustable as to the extent to which it is disposed in the path of the liquid,

and said deflector member and said discharge member carrying stop members adapted to abut to limit the relative rotative movement of said deflector and discharge members when said latter members are threadedly secured together.

6. A liquid dispenser for dispensing a liquid over a limited area of a surface, said dispenser comprising:

a discharge member having angularly directed discharge passage means diverging outwardly to produce a conical spray,

and a cylindrical deflector member threadedly secured to said discharge member and having a cylindrical portion adapted to be disposed in the path of the conical spray issuing from said passage means to confine said spray and hence to concentrate said spray to a smaller area of the surface,

said deflector member and said discharge member having coacting threaded portions one'of which is yieldable to enable said deflector member to be forced onto said discharge member to cause said threaded portions to threadedly engage with each other to enable said deflector member to be adjustable as to the extent to which it is disposed in the path of the liquid,

and said deflector member and said discharge member carrying stop members adapted to abut to limit the relative rotative movement of said deflector and discharge members when said latter members are threadedly secured together.

7. A liquid dispenser for dispensing a liquid such as a weed killer over a limited area of the ground, said dispenser comprising:

a liquid reservoir adapted to be supported in the hand,

a discharge member secured to the lower end of said reservoir and having angularly directed discharge passage means diverging outwardly away from said reservoir,

a pump member also secured to the lower end of said reservoir between said reservoir and said discharge member and effective upon actuation of said pump member to force liquid from said reservoir outwardly through said passage means so as to tend to produce a conical spray,

an actuator secured to said pump member and projecting below said reservoir and adapted to be pressed against the ground to actuate said pump 10 outer of which is continuous and extends over the lower portion of said pump member and constitutes a grip for rotating said cylindrical member with respect to said discharge member,

15 said deflector member being adjustable upon rotation thereof as to the extent to which it is disposed in the path of said liquid. 8. The liquid dispenser of claim 7 in which the outer annular portion of said deflector member and the pump 2 member have cooperating stop portions which limit the possible rotation of said deflector member with respect to said pump member through an angle in excess of 180 but less than 360.

References Cited 25 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,552,444 5/1951 Nielsen 239-458 2,817,189 12/1957 Esmay 239 351 X 2,880,939 4/1959 Esmay 239420 X member when it is desired to force liquid through 30 said passage means, and a cylindrical deflector member adjustably secured M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Prim'aly Examiner.

V. C. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

6. A LIQUID DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING A LIQUID OVER A LIMITED AREA OF A SURFACE, SAID DISPENSER COMPRISING: A DISCHARGE MEMBER HAVING ANGULARLY DIRECTED DISCHARGE PASSAGE MEANS DIVERGING OUTWARDLY TO PRODUCE A CONICAL SPRAY, AND A CYLINDRICAL DEFLECTOR MEMBER THREADEDLY SECURED TO SAID DISCHARGE MEMBER AND HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF THE CONICAL SPRAY ISSUING FROM SAID PASSAGE MEANS TO CONFINE SAID SPRAY AND HENCE TO CONCENTRATE SAID SPRAY TO A SMALLER AREA OF THE SURFACE, SAID DEFLECTOR MEMBER AND SAID DISCHARGE MEMBER HAVING COACTING THREADED PORTIONS ONE OF WHICH IS YIELDABLE TO ENABLE SAID DEFLECTOR MEMBER TO BE FORCED ONTO SAID DISCHARGE MEMBER TO CAUSE SAID THREADED PORTIONS TO THREADEDLY ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER TO ENABLE SAID DEFLECTOR MEMBER TO BE ADJUSTABLE AS TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT IS DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF THE LIQUID, 